46,000 enroll in state health exchange

Amanda Cuda

Published 6:57 pm, Thursday, December 19, 2013

More Information

For more information on enrolling in the state health exchange and the kind of coverage offered on the marketplace, visit www.accesshealthct.com or call 855-805-4325. The website or call center can also connect you with an organization in your area that can offer you in-person assistance in navigating the exchange.

Page 1 of 1

While Connecticut's health insurance exchange has been running more smoothly than its embattled federal counterpart, the state exchange's leader said it has experienced some hiccups -- including a glitch affecting up to 2,400 customers that might have resulted in some people buying different plans than they thought they were signing up for.

More than 46,000 people have enrolled in health coverage through the state's health insurance exchange, Access Health CT, since it opened in October.

Access Health CT President and Chief Executive Officer Kevin Counihan was one of several officials from health exchanges who spoke during a conference call sponsored this week by Families USA, a national nonprofit organization that educates and advocates for health care consumers.

The call is one in a series that Families USA has been running, highlighting the work of state exchanges. "Obviously, there's been a disproportionate amount of attention given to the federal marketplace," HealthCare.gov, and its woes, said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA.

Meanwhile, Pollack said, many state-run exchanges have been making solid progress toward getting people signed up.

Residents looking to be insured through health insurance exchanges by Jan. 1 need to sign up for coverage by Monday, although the deadline to avoid a penalty fee isn't until March.

Connecticut's exchange has been held up by many, including Families USA, as a success story, though there have been some obstacles here as well.

The day of the Families USA conference call, Counihan took heat from State Sen. Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, a member of the General Assembly's Insurance Committee. He raised several questions about the exchange during a press conference in Hartford, during which he asked that Counihan have a public hearing with lawmakers.

One of Kelly's major concerns was a problem with the Access Health website that might have led to people signing up for different insurance plans than they intended.

"Our system is far from perfect, and time is running out," Kelly said in a written statement. "We need to sit down, admit our flaws and explore solutions."

Counihan issued a statement Wednesday evening pointing out that the problem was identified shortly before the exchange opened in October, and there was a prominent warning placed on several of the site's pages cautioning customers of possible errors.

Exchange representatives also called all of those who selected a plan during October, and sent out letters, informing them that there were errors on the site and that they could select new plans if they needed to. The pages were corrected as of Oct. 30.

The exchanges are a cornerstone of the sweeping health reform legislation, known as the Affordable Care Act. They are a marketplace where millions of uninsured Americans -- including thousands in Connecticut -- can sign up for coverage. Consumers in Connecticut can either buy insurance through one of three health plans offered through the exchange, or, if they qualify, they can receive free coverage via Medicaid.

During the conference call, Counihan said slightly more than half of those who have enrolled via the site have received coverage through one of the private insurance plans, and the remainder have received coverage via Medicaid. The average time to complete enrollment is 45 minutes.

Counihan said consumer surveys have shown that the majority of those enrolling in coverage through the exchange are satisfied with their experience. He said 72 percent of enrollees surveyed about their experience said they were either "extremely likely" or "very likely" to recommend Access Health CT to a friend or colleague.

However, Counihan said there are some areas where the exchange could improve. For instance, Counihan said, as deadlines loom, the exchange's call center has become increasingly overwhelmed.

"Our calls are roughly three times what they were a few weeks ago," Counihan said, adding that the center has had to increase its staff by 50 percent.

He said exchange officials were prepared for maximum call volumes of 4,000 to 4,400 calls a day. In recent weeks, he said, the center has received roughly 6,000 calls a day.

Counihan also lamented the fact that the Spanish-language version of the Access Health CT web site won't launch until next year -- a delay that was needed to "keep our system stable," he said.

At least one local agency taxed with educating the public on the health exchange said the lack of a Spanish language site has been an issue for consumers.

The Bridgeport Child Advocacy Coalition is one of many organizations in the state that has workers trained to offer assistance to those looking get insured through the health exchange.

BCAC senior director of policy and research Robin Lamott Sparks said the agency's health care assisters have been flooded with requests for help from area residents, and one of the reasons is the language barrier.

"If (Spanish speakers) need help with translation, they end up in our office," Sparks said, adding that the agency's assisters are booked with appointments until January.